1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to restraint systems in vehicles, and in particular to presenting a restraint belt to a vehicle occupant.
2. Discussion of the Prior Art
Even with the advent of inflatable air bag restraint systems, the use of restraint belts, in conjunction with or without air bags, is still required for adequate protection of vehicle occupants during collisions or accidents. The conventional restraint belt has evolved into a combination lap belt and diagonal shoulder belt arrangement, with one continuous belt often being used for both. Both lap belt and shoulder belt protection should be used, even when the vehicle is equipped with air bags and or separate shoulder and lap belts.
In a typical single belt arrangement, one end of the belt is anchored to a structural floor member just behind a seat on the outboard side. When in use, the belt extends upward and forward around the occupant's waist and through a belt buckle. The buckle is releasably secured in a receptacle located adjacent the inboard side of the occupant's waist. Some automobiles do not use a buckle and receptacle arrangement, but secure the belt directly through a latch. In any case, the belt is slidably attached on the inboard side, and extends upward diagonally across the occupant's chest and over his or her outboard shoulder to an anchor point above and behind the occupant on the outboard side. A belt retracting mechanism is usually mounted on or in the `B` pillar rearward of the front door to take up slack in the belt. In some vehicles the retracting mechanism is mounted on the outboard edge of the ceiling or floor, or in the seat back. When force is exerted on the belt in an accident, the retracting mechanism and the slidable adjustment on in inboard side lock to allow the lap and shoulder portions of the belt to function properly.
When the belt is released from the inboard side, the retracting mechanism draws the belt and buckle towards the outboard side of the vehicle. When not in use, the belt extends from the floor anchor point to the upper anchor point or retracting mechanism. The belt buckle typically hangs on the belt around shoulder or head height of the seated occupant.
Instead of having one continuous belt, some restraint systems employ separate lap and shoulder belts attached to a single buckle. These systems use separate retracting mechanisms for the lap and shoulder belts, but otherwise operate in much the same way as single belt systems. The belt buckle hangs behind the outboard side of the occupant when not in use.
To fasten the seat belt, the occupant typically must first twist around in the seat, look over his or her outboard shoulder, and reach around with his or her inboard hand to grab the belt buckle which is above and behind the seat. This is a difficult movement for the occupant to make. Just turning around far enough to see the seat belt can be awkward, with reaching the belt and drawing it around being even more cumbersome. Because of seat belt geometry and door and window constraints, this buckle positioning and associated occupant movement is difficult to improve upon. With the seat belt so far out of sight and difficult to reach, many people forget or do not bother to wear them.
In attempts to make restraint systems easier to use (or more difficult not to use), automobile manufacturers have recently developed various alternatives or modifications to the conventional seat belt arrangement. However, none of these newer systems are without drawbacks.
One newer type of "passive" restraint system uses separate lap and shoulder belts. The lap belt is of an earlier conventional design, with a retracting mechanism beside the inboard or outboard side of the seat bottom. The shoulder belt is similar to a conventional shoulder belt with one end attached to the inside of the upper rear corner of the door. In many models, this end is detachable. The other end of the shoulder belt is a separate retracting mechanism beside the inboard side of the seat bottom. When the door is fully open, the belt extends from the inboard side of the seat bottom and up and away from the seat to the outer corner of the door. The vehicle occupant is able to enter the vehicle between the shoulder belt and the seat. When the door is closed, the inboard end of the shoulder belt retracts and the outboard end attached to the door is then in a position above and behind the occupant like a conventional shoulder belt. The occupant then fastens the lap belt in a conventional manner. To exit the vehicle, the occupant unbuckles the lap belt and opens the door, and is able to exit through the door opening.
The above-described passive restraint system has the advantage of automatically fastening and unfastening the shoulder belt when the door is closed or opened, and eliminates the need for the occupant to twist around in the seat to reach for the seat belt. However, the belt extending from the open door limits the room available to enter and exit the vehicle and usually is a hinderance. Passengers find it awkward to enter and exit vehicles having such restraint systems, especially when using them for the first time.
To provide more room to enter and exit a vehicle and to make such actions more natural, another type of restraint system has been developed. Instead of attaching the outboard end of the shoulder belt to the upper rear end of the door, the belt is attached to a movable shuttle riding in a track along the upper periphery of the door opening. When the door is opened, the shuttle automatically moves the outboard end of the shoulder belt forward along the track, and in some cases partially down the `A` pillar adjacent the side of the windshield. This allows the occupant more room to enter and exit the vehicle without becoming entangled in the shoulder belt. When the occupant is seated and closes the door, the shuttle automatically drives the end of the shoulder belt rearward, and in some instances partially down the `B` pillar, into an operational position. With this system, the occupant must still manually fasten the lap belt. This system, however, adds more complexity and cost to a vehicle due to the electric motors, drive mechanisms, and controls that are needed for the system to function. The system takes up more space where structural members may be needed. The system also increases the possibility of malfunctions requiring repair or preventing the occupant from being able to use the shoulder belt.
Both of the newer types of restraint systems described above tend to confuse users. Many people feel uncomfortable being automatically strapped in, especially when a shuttle and belt move toward their head unexpectedly. Many occupants bypass the automatic features of these systems by unbuckling the outboard end of the shoulder strap when exiting the vehicle, and buckling it in when they re-enter and close the door. Worse yet, some frustrated occupants dispense from using the restraint belt or belts altogether, and are even tempted to disconnect devices designed to encourage or require the use of seat belts.
Probably the biggest drawback to the "passive" systems is that they still require the occupant to fasten the lap belt him or herself. Many occupants rely on the automatic restraint belt features to strap them in and do not realize that the lap belt has not been fastened for them. Others simply forget to fasten the lap belt, or choose not to do so when traveling short distances. Wearing the shoulder belt without the lap belt can be just as dangerous as wearing no belt at all, and in many circumstances is much more dangerous. Without a lap belt to secure the occupant's waist and lower body in the seat, this portion of the body can fly forward in an accident. This allows the shoulder belt to slip upward on the occupants body. The occupant may slip completely out of the shoulder belt and then be unrestrained, or the shoulder belt may catch under the occupant's chin and cause serious neck injury or decapitation. By automatically securing the shoulder belt while not ensuring that the lap belt is fastened, these newer restraint systems often place a vehicle's occupants in a very dangerous position.
What is needed, and what the prior art lacks, is a simple, inexpensive way of allowing a vehicle's occupants to see and conveniently reach their seat belts so they can fasten them without having to twist around and reach behind them while attempting to locate their seat belts.